If you use more herbs and spices in your dish you can cut back on the amount of salt that you might use.

Also...when cooking vegetables, it's a good idea to bake them in the oven at 275-325 degrees for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on what they are...instead of boiling them. The vegetables are crisper, taste fresh, and have a good bite.

Soaking chicken overnight in a buttermilk marianade. makes the best homefried chicken.

(quote) Marisa-487011 said: If you use more herbs and spices in your dish you can cut back on the amount of salt that you might use.

Also...when cooking vegetables, it's a good idea to bake them in the oven at 275-325 degrees for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on what they are...instead of boiling them. The vegetables are crisper, taste fresh, and have a good bite.

Soaking chicken overnight in a buttermilk marianade. makes the best homefried chicken.

(quote) Lauren-927923 said: That is a brilliant idea for bacon. I am having the hardest time with cooking anything for just me.Even when it was technically just Pete and I for a few months there, he always made extra and took it to work, so we were still cooking like we were cooking for a family. Now, its just me and I don't have a clue what to do. . .Lauren

Hi Lauren,I have tons of kitchen-ways for singles. Sausage works the same as bacon, except I put several slices/links in snack baggies, then i put all the snack baggies in a sandwich baggie. This way I can pull out of the freezer only what I need. When I cook a meal, I cook for four and then freeze a couple, and keep one for later in the week, etc. one of my stand-bys is to cook up two cups of rice, then cook a pound of ground beef or chicken cut into 3/4" pieces. Put them in separate containers in the refrigerator. For dinner, I put rice in the bottom of a deep ceramic cereal bowl, put meet on top, then cut up broccoli and carrots on top, cover and microwave 1 minute. Now I have a nutritious dinner all week long, with no additional cooking! This is great in the hot summer!

(quote) Helen-450889 said: About the bacon, I use kitchen shears to cut the bacon slices in half right prior to separating and frying. this way, they cook faster and do not curl up. They also cook more evenly.

I cook bacon in the oven. Line cookie sheet with foil. Put a rack in the pan. Spread out slices just touching. 400 about 25 minutes. DONT preheat oven- not sure why but thats what I read on the interwebs. Adjust time for your desired crispness. Perfectly flat every time.

(quote) John-559440 said: I cook bacon in the oven. Line cookie sheet with foil. Put a rack in the pan. Spread out slices just touching. 400 about 25 minutes. DONT preheat oven- not sure why but thats what I read on the interwebs. Adjust time for your desired crispness. Perfectly flat every time.

(quote) Nancy-924652 said: Hi Lauren,I have tons of kitchen-ways for singles. Sausage works the same as bacon, except I put several slices/links in snack baggies, then i put all the snack baggies in a sandwich baggie. This way I can pull out of the freezer only what I need. When I cook a meal, I cook for four and then freeze a couple, and keep one for later in the week, etc. one of my stand-bys is to cook up two cups of rice, then cook a pound of ground beef or chicken cut into 3/4" pieces. Put them in separate containers in the refrigerator. For dinner, I put rice in the bottom of a deep ceramic cereal bowl, put meet on top, then cut up broccoli and carrots on top, cover and microwave 1 minute. Now I have a nutritious dinner all week long, with no additional cooking! This is great in the hot summer!